The NBA playoff matchups in the Western Conference will be a thrill to watch.
Media members are excited to see what the Thunder, Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets, and Warriors do, but there is another team that has every piece firing on all cylinders at the right time. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have the Los Angeles Clippers on fire and dangerous, but it has been an emergence of a third playmaker that has it in position to make serious noise in the playoffs.
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Ivica Zubac, a seven-footer from Croatia, is having a career season. The former second-round pick of the 2016 NBA Draft is averaging a double-double for the first time in his career in his seventh season with the Clippers.
Zubac is responsible for 16.5 points and 12.5 rebounds a game on 62.4 percent shooting from the field.
He joined Leonard and Harden in a masterful performance versus Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks. Zubac recorded 25 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and a block, while having a perfect (11-of-11) shooting night from the field in 28 minutes.
He assisted Los Angeles to a 135-104 victory, notching his first 20+ point game this month. Zubac totaled 19.9 points and 12.5 boards per game in March. He credits Harden for propelling him to a monster season. People criticize Harden for having a high ball volume and playing too much isolation ball; however, he is arguably one of the best in facilitating for teammates.
Harden is fifth in the NBA in assists, dishing out 8.6 dimes per game.
Ivica Zubac dreamed of playing with a guard like James Harden and he’s loving it ❤️ #NBA pic.twitter.com/f4ERw5si49
— Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) April 5, 2025
“I have been wanting to play with a point guard like [James Harden] my whole life,” Zubac said.
The combination of Zubac and Harden have the Clippers prepared to make a run in the playoffs.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
